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Please research the health consequences of using a fluoride toothpaste
Fluoride as an additive in toothpaste and water is generally considered to be beneficial to human health. There is only one significant risk associated with normal fluoride toothpaste, which is fluorosis. This condition only occurs in children whose permanent teeth are still developing. Prevident toothpaste has some other minor risks and side effects associated with it, although most of those require a very high intake of fluoride, beyond the normal dose. You'll find a deep dive of my research below.
fluorosis
There is a consensus among health agencies, both governmental and NGO, that toothpaste containing fluoride is beneficial for dental health. Fluoride is known to prevent tooth decay, strengthen teeth, improve enamel, and reduce incidences of caries in children.
However, there is one primary health concern related to fluoride toothpaste, which is the risk of developing fluorosis from too much fluoride intake. This is the only proven risk associated with fluoride ingestion. Moreover, this condition is only a risk for children whose permanent teeth are still developing. The condition causes a minor change in the appearance of the teeth, and it can range from mild to severe.
Fluorosis damages tooth enamel and occurs while the teeth are developing, typically before age 8, with the greatest risk between 15 and 30 months of age. After the age of 8, fluoride intake cannot cause fluorosis. Roughly 23% of people aged 6-49 have ever experienced fluorosis, and severe fluorosis occurs in less than 1% of the population. To mitigate the risk of fluorosis, the primary recommendation is that parents supervise children while they brush their teeth to make sure they do not ingest unnecessary amounts of toothpaste, and that children use the appropriate amount when brushing: a smear for children under 3, and a pea-sized amount for older children.
prevident
As you know, Prevident is a prescription toothpaste with a high concentration of fluoride used to prevent cavities. In the case of this product, there are additional health concerns beyond flourosis.
Prevident toothpaste can cause mouth or gum irritation, and an allergic reaction is possible. In addition, it is possible to overdose on a large quantity of fluoride, which can cause burning in the mouth and a sore tongue, as well as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, and abdominal pain.
Heavy ingestion of fluoride in pregnant women can lead to skeletal fluorosis in the baby. It is unclear whether or not fluoride can be secreted through human breast milk, but many drugs are. Moreover, one study suggests that high exposure to fluoride can affect milk production during lactation.
Based on available research, there is no association between fluoride and cancer risk. Moreover, it is not considered to be mutagenic or in any other way affecting chromosomes. It is not a teratogen, and does not impact fetal weight or fetal malformations in pregnant women. Low concentrations of fluoride do not impact fertility or reproduction, however, very high concentrations have been shown to impact this area in studies of animals.
Based on this research, it seems that the primary way of mitigating any of these risks is simply by following the suggested dose of the toothpaste, as most of the health risks are associated with excessively heavy intake of fluoride.
conclusion
To wrap up, the only known health risk associated with ingestion of fluoride in normal toothpaste is fluorosis, which only affects children whose permanent teeth are still developing. There are some side effects and possible risks associated with use of Prevident, however, most of those are only associated with very high intake of fluoride beyond the recommended dose.